MSR Carbon Reflex 2 Ultralight Tent

MSR‘s new Carbon Reflex 2 is a backpacking tent designed for minimalist adventurers who prefer more protection than a tarp, but without any extra weight.

MSR Carbon Reflex 2 with rainfly on Perseverance Island, Georgian Bay. Rocky, uneven ground and dense undergrowth made tent-pitching a challenge but the Carbon Reflex 2 can tuck in anywhere.

Carbon-fiber poles, ultralight fabrics and zipper-free vestibules bring this tent’s weight down to as little as a tarp (1 lb 7 oz, including optional footprint) and it packs up just as small. Twin doors, a spacious interior, waterproof, taped-seam rainfly, and bathtub-style floor make life on the trail much more comfortable. We demoed it on a Lake Huron/Georgian Bay SUP trip where weight and space mean everything.

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The Carbon Reflex 2 without rainfly.

This tent is as light as they come and sleeps two tightly but efficiently. And it pitches fast and easily. If it’s a little tight for two, we’re not complaining. At this weight and size, we’ll happily make the small sacrifice. (If you’re two big people, you might want to go with the Reflex 3.) In any case, you can store all your gear inside the generous vestibule, so you don’t need to bring anything inside other than bodies and sleeping bags.